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ESPN Is ‘Flexible’ on TV Rights for College Football Playoff

BSM Staff
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Earlier this month, the news dropped that the College Football Playoff Board of Managers voted to expand the postseason format from four to twelve teams. That signaled a very piqued interest in the new version’s media rights. ESPN, the current rightsholder, has signaled that it is open to sharing those rights when it comes to the expansion.

“We’ve been clear to anyone who is interested that we are very willing to be flexible here and be creative in terms of this expansion,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in an interview.

The “flexible” ESPN be announcing that not only are other networks very interested in getting into the College Football Playoff space, but that ESPN is not interested in overpaying for media rights to gobble up the entire twelve-team tournament. Projections for the new format could fetch in the neighborhood of $2 billion.

In the event that ESPN would not air the CFB playoff, the network strongly wants to keep the championship game and several playoff games, people familiar with the matter said.

“As it pertains to college rights, we really like our hand,” Pitaro said. “We’re incredibly well-positioned here.”

Kirk Herbstreit Wants to Make TNF Booth the “Best in Television”

BSM Staff
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This Thursday will mark the debut, officially, of Amazon Prime Video’s exclusive Thursday Night Football package. There will be a lot of eyeballs on the first regular season game with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit in the same booth. Herbstreit wants it that way because he is expecting to be the best.

When Michaels and Herbstreit paired, there was a common belief that it would be hard for two of the hardest-working voices in the business to be anything but good. However, good is not quite good enough for Herbstreit.

“My internal goal — no matter what the critics say — is not to be, ‘Wow, they’re pretty good,’” Herbstreit, 53, said. “I want to be the best booth in television. NBA, MLB, college — I want to be the best. I’m not doing this to just limp across the finish line and say, ‘I made it.’

Herbrstreit realizes that that the partnerships he has with this broadcast, Michaels and producer Fred Gaudelli, that the goal of being the very best is doable.

“My goal is to be the best booth in television and I feel like I’m working with Al and Freddy, I don’t know why we can’t be.”

Michaels also added that the broadcast will be big, but recognizable. Amazon will have 29 cameras (Sunday Night Football uses 25) and two skycams (SNF uses one).

“We are not reinventing the wheel,” Michaels said. “We are going to tweak it, make it better and kind of roll with it.”

New FS1 Lineup Sees Ratings Decline In First Week

BSM Staff
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FS1 debuted a new lineup last week and early ratings reports saw a steep decline in viewership.

According to the New York Post, The Carton Show averaged 17,400 viewers in its first week. The show airs in a slightly altered window from predecessor First Things First, as The Carton Show airs from 7:00-9:30 AM, while First Things First aired from 7:30 AM-9:30 AM.

Undisputed with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe saw viewership drop off by 28% from 202,800 viewers to 146,400 in the same time period.

The Herd with Colin Cowherd saw co-host Joy Taylor depart and Jason McIntyre join the cast, and it saw a 17% decline from 169,000 viewers to 140,800.

Speak, previously called Speak For Yourself, is now hosted by Taylor, Emmanuel Acho, and LeSean McCoy saw a drop from 97,400 to 78,400. However, the show was formerly shown from 3:00 PM-5:00 PM and no airs from 4:30 PM-6:00 PM.

In a completely new timeslot, First Things First drew 89,000 viewers from 3:00 PM-4:30 PM.

Apple TV Says No To Broadcasting “Too Toxic” LIV Golf Tour

BSM Staff
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The LIV Golf Tour has made plenty of headlines in its infancy of existence, but they haven’t been bale to break-thru in the United States in terms of a broadcast rights deal. New reporting suggests that they can scratch Apple off their list of potential partners.

In a tweet from Dan Rapaport, formerly of Golf Digest and recent addition to Barstool Sports, the LIV Golf Tour is going to have to look elsewhere to get television distribution in the United States. Rapaport stats that, according to his source, the tour is “too toxic” for Apple and that leaves the 2023 Liv Golf Tour still without a media partner.

Rapaport also notes that FOX may find themselves interested at some point, seeing as they are without any golf ties to the PGA Tour but even then was eager to leave the space.

Dan Le Batard to Outkick: ‘F*** Off’

BSM Staff
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The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz made news Tuesday after Amazon Prime Video NFL analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick took exception to the line of questioning during the interview about whether his injury last season — that ultimately ended his career — actually happened on a water slide and not in a game as he has contended.

Mark Harris of Outkick.com wrote about the interview, calling the questions asked by the show “dumb”, later adding “When Le Batard and his gang aren’t talking about woke politics, how racist the country is, or ambushing Michelle Tafoya because she enjoys free speech, they sometimes welcome former athletes on the show.” Harris added Le Batard and Stugotz, in his estimation, got “the exact reaction” they wanted.

Le Batard took to Twitter to defend the show and also point out the preposterous nature of Harris’ serious response to the story.

“Oh f*** all the way off, Outkick,” Le Batard tweeted. “You can’t always take the other side against me so reflexively that you take too seriously a question I posed while dressed as a professional wrestler. And, if you are interested in accuracy, we asked 3 stupid waterslide questions, not 1. — Dan”, signing the tweet to ensure those knew it was Le Batard himself that sent it.

Harris replied to the tweet by saying “Thanks for reading, Dan!”

Jonathan Vilma Gives Broadcasting Advice To Sean Payton

BSM Staff
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Sean Payton began his broadcasting career with Fox Sports Sunday, and former player Jonathan Vilma had some wisdom to share with his former coach.

“Just do the opposite of what you did as a coach,” Vilma told Payton, according to USA Today. “Don’t be a jerk, don’t be a know-it-all, and don’t have that constipated look on your face all day on Sundays.”

Vilma worked on ABC’s college football studio team before joining Fox Sports in 2020 and is now paired as a game analyst with Kenny Albert. Payton coached the former linebacker from 2008-2013. Vilma was a member of the team that won Super Bowl XLIV with Payton as head coach.

The former Saints coach was a hot commodity for NFL broadcast partners during the offseason, being heavily courted by Amazon before settling on Fox. It’s expected he will be a prominent name during the NFL coaching carousel after the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season.

Erin Burnett Not Safe From ‘Right-Wing Hatchet Man’ Chris Licht, Says Keith Olbermann

BNM Staff
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Liberal podcaster Keith Olbermann continued his assault on new CNN President and CEO Chris Licht Wednesday, this time using anchor Erin Burnett as his reasoning.

During Erin Burnett OutFront, the anchor covered a story published by New York Magazine in what it called a six-month investigation into Hunter Biden’s laptop, which Olbermann panned.

“It went over like a lead balloon. No traction, no interest in the story almost anywhere on social media, not even the right-wingers seemed hopped up about it. Except for Erin Burnett,” Olbermann said. “A five-minute segment on it in a 60-minute news broadcast, including a live interview with one of the co-authors. The irony here is the story wasn’t even interesting or salacious. It’s hard to imagine that what CNN did with it will save Burnett from the wrath of the new right-wing hatchet man running CNN, Chris Licht. Or as I always like to give him his full title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CNN Worldwide and The Guy Who When We Were At MSNBC Together I Used To Think Ate Paste.”

Olbermann has continued to slam the CNN President, calling him a “corporate butt-kisser” during a podcast last month. The Countdown With Keith Olbermann host has previously stated people were unaware “how dangerous Licht would be for this republic” in his role at CNN.

John Kincade: Angelo Cataldi Will Leave A ‘Vacuum of Credibility’ In Philadelphia

BSM Staff
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John Kincade: Angelo Cataldi Will Leave A ‘Vacuum of Credibility’ In Philadelphia

Retirement is right around the corner for Angelo Cataldi. He has promised not to leave WIP before the end of the football season, but with the Eagles already one game into their 2022 campaign, the idea of a world without Cataldi on the radio in Philadelphia seems more real than ever.

One person that recognizes just how different that world will be is his top competitor and good friend, John Kincade. He interned for Cataldi when he was younger and then became a regular contributor to Cataldi’s show. Now, Kincade is the morning man across town at 97.5 The Fanatic.

“I’m sure him and his bride are going to have a wonderful life. He’s gonna be a grandfather,” Kincade said on this week’s Jason Barrett Podcast. “All I know is I wouldn’t want to be there the first Monday when he can’t turn on a microphone because the guy’s a legend. The guy’s a natural and I think he will miss it.”

Kincade admitted that he and Angelo Cataldi still love one another and have a lot of mutual respect between them, but the pair agreed to keep their distance when they began competing.

It was a natural agreement given how honest they have been with each other. Kincade revealed that he let Cataldi know exactly what was offered to him before he accepted the morning slot at The Fanatic and Cataldi encouraged him to take it.

Barrett asked John Kincade to describe a world where Cataldi is not on in morning drive in Philadelphia.

“Well, I’m gonna be selfish and say beautiful!” Kincade joked before acknowledging that the absence of Cataldi will leave a huge void, not just on 94WIP but across the city’s sports scene.

“When Angelo Cataldi leaves, there is a power vacuum in town of voices, of credibility, and look, Angelo isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but damn if everybody doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and bravo to him for doing that. That is what the challenge will be to every single one of us in the market.”

Kincade said that he cannot imagine Cataldi never being heard from again. He is confident his friend will be heard again somewhere. He just doesn’t want that to happen right away and has an idea for how Cataldi should start his retirement to avoid temptation.

“Maybe a world cruise where he couldn’t do a podcast that terrorizes all of the other hosts trying to make a living in Philadelphia. Maybe he could just go on a world cruise without the internet.”

The PM Team Unveils Song About Show Written By Pittsburgh Musician

BSM Staff
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Pittsburgh musician Pete Bender is a big fan of 93.7 The Fan. That information became quite apparent after producing a song for The PM Team, hosted by Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller, which he mailed to the station.

“He went into a professional recording studio, and made a song about the show,” Fillipponi said. “This is the national/international debut of this song, called ‘The Poni Express’, inspired by us.”

“Why isn’t it called ‘The PM Team’?,” Chris Mueller asked.

“That’s a great question,” Fillipponi admitted.

The Poni Express was the name of Fillipponi’s weekend show on CBS Sports Radio.

“My name got mentioned in there once,” Mueller said. “This sounds like a George Thorogood love letter addressed to ‘Poni. That’s what it sounds like.”

“What do you guys think?”, Fillipponi asked.

“I think he likes you. I don’t think he likes the show!”, Mueller concluded.

The lyrics of the song, which aired in the final segment of the hour, are:
The ‘Poni Express is coming down the line
Mr. Chris Mueller is a-lookin’ fine
Talkin’ big stuff ’bout the ‘Burgh and our boys
Ya know the Pittsburgh teams they’ll be makin’ some noise

(Chorus)
Well, hey, yeah, jump on the ‘Poni Express
You know they’re chugging along and the Fan is always the best

Yeah, well they’re pushin’ the buttons and a-talkin’ the talk’
The best sports chat that will always rock
The ninety-three seven it’s the place to be
And you’ll always be in good company

(Chorus)
Well, hey, yeah, jump on the ‘Poni Express
They’re number one and always up to the test

(harmonica solo)

‘Poni will always keep the sports talk (inaudible)
The back-forth mix is like a time bomb ticking
They’re on the clock, it’s such a good show
Better try to keep up with the blow by blow

(Chorus)
Well, hey, yeah, jump on the ‘Poni Express
They got it all going on, it’s a big time sports lovefest

Well the ‘Poni Express will take your breath away
You know you gotta listen most every day
They know all the issues, they never miss a beat
Those two are so hot better not leave your seat

(Chorus)
Well, hey, look out, you’re a-walkin’ the line
The ‘Poni Express is a-sure lookin’ fine
Lookin’ fine, baby, rock it!

(Harmonica solo)

Mike Gallagher: CBS Spent More Time On Queen Elizabeth Than 9/11

BNM Staff
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Mike Gallagher: CBS Spent More Time On Queen Elizabeth Than 9/11

Coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II has dominated news outlets since her passing, and conservative radio host Mike Gallagher has seen enough.

“I know it’s sad that the longest reigning monarch died, but can we go enough with the wall-to-wall coverage?”, Gallagher pondered. “You know she’s not going get buried for another week? We got a week left of this. A week!”

Gallagher pointed out CBS Sunday Morning, a show he said he likes, spent more time on the Queen’s death than the anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

“September 11th! Mean anything to anyone at CBS? You couldn’t spend more than a couple of minutes on September 11th, 2001? We are forgetting September11th. We are forgetting what those evil doers did to our country. We are teaching our kids about everything but 9/11. And young people have absolutely zero appreciation for not only the destruction of 9/11 but how unified we were. We forgot what that felt like.”

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